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OUT&ABOUT Opera


Opera’s tribute to Mahler


Friday, January 11, 2013 Followusontwitter @Argus_TheGuide InTheSpotlight


FEMME FATALE TRIBUTE: Tamsin Grieg


TAMSIN Greig will be joining the orchestra of Welsh National Opera to paytribute to the life of the “femme fatale” Alma Mahler at St David’s Hall, CardiffonJanuary 18. The Laurence Olivier award-win- ning actress,best known forher roles in The Archers, Green Wing and Episodes,will read excerpts of Alma Mahler’s diaries during the performance. This concert forms part of WNO’s Free Spirits theme of work this spring. Alma Mahler wasthe wife of composer GustavMahler and a composer in her ownright. She wasfamous in the


Viennese social circles at the turn of the 20th century. With numerous lovers and admirers,including the artist Klimt and composer Alexander Zemlinsky, she broke social boundaries at the time and was atrue “free spirit” as her diaries show. WNO’s music director,Lothar


Koenigs,will conduct this con- cert whichwill see mezzo Michelle Breedt perform in Alma Mahler’s Four Songs for Middle Voice and in Alexander Zemlinsky’s MaeterlinckLieder, asong cyclecomposed long after his love affair with Alma Mahler. WNOOrchestra leader David Adams is the soloist in Berg’s Violin Concerto whichhewas moved to compose by the death of Alma Mahler’s daughter. The final piece of the concert


will be GustavMahler’s Adagio from the 10th Symphonywhich reflects his wife’s unfaithful- ness to him. Tamsin Greig is no stranger to


performing alongside the Orchestra ofWNO. In December 2012 she was compere fortwoWNOconcerts where she introduced The Snowman by Raymond Briggs and brought Prokofiev’s Peter and the Wolf to life by narrating the story with full orchestral accompaniment. She said: “I am delighted to


have another opportunity to work with this fantastic orches- tra.” ● Tickets are priced between


£5 -£42 and are availablefrom St David’s Hall either by phon- ing 02920 878 444 or visiting stdavidshallcardiff.co.uk


ON SONG: Blaenavon Male Voice Choir on arecent visit to Jersey BELOW: Gareth Whitcombe


IBEGIN the newyear with avisit to the heart- land of the male voice choir world. The north of the county is steeped in the traditions of the genre,extending backto roots thatgrewfroman industrial past of steel


and coal. BlaenavonMale Voice Choir has certainlymade its mark since its formation in 1910 and is still respected as one of the foremost choirs in SouthWales. The conductor over the


past 24 years has been Gareth Whitcombe.One of the pleasures of writing this column is getting to meet up with old friends –I first knewGareth as a young M.D.with Cwmbran Male Voice and as head of music at Trevethin Comprehensive School (he latermoved on to Tredegar and is nowdeputy head at Caldicot Comprehensive). He is without doubt one of Gwent’s most respected musicians –assinger,


pianist and, aboveall these days, as achoir director.He is nowinhis 24th year at the helm of BlaenavonMale Voice Choir. However,interms of longevity,hemay be regarded as arelative new- comer when compared with some of the group – the longest serving has beenamember for65years! Belonging to this organisa- tion is clearlyaway of life forsomanyofits members. This sense of tradition is further borne out by the Rowles family, who can boast three generations of the familyconcurrentlyin the choir.The youngest, Dion Rowles,joined the tenors at the tender ageof ten and has sung alongside fatherWayne and grandfa- ther Mel ever since. Long-standing chairman


GwilymLeek tellsmeof the days when the choir made a significant mark as one of Wales’ most feared compet- itive choirs,inthe late 1960s.InaManchester United-like spell of domina- tion in the field, they were


unbeaten forthree years. This included being the onlychoir to win in three consecutive years at the prestigious Cardigan eisteddfod (this entitled them to keeppossession of the trophy, whichthey still have).


During this era, they were


also one of the first choirs to tour abroad (something thatisbynow an integral part of most choirs’ sched- ules) –firstlytoNorway and then to Hungary(a country synonymous with the high- est traditions of choral singing), in response to an invitation fromthe Hungarian ambassador,


who had been so impressed on hearing their winning performance at the Porthcawl miners’ eisteddfod. Since thattime, they have toured extensive- ly,including four American visits. The fifty-plus members come fromawide catchment – several from the


Abergavenny area and some fromas far afield as Newport and Talgarth. It is signifi-


cant thatthey havemany future con- certs already booked throughout the year and are even hav- ing to turn away some concert requests. There is an opportunity


to hear them locallytomor- rowevening at St Gabriels Church in Old Cwmbran ( 7pm start) in the first con- cert of the inaugural St Gabriels Choral Fest –tick- ets availableatthe door.


GERAINTDAVIES looks at the work of BlaenavonMale Voice Choir


Choir has busyschedule linedupalready for2013


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